Former army chief charged with RM2.12m money laundering in Kuala Lumpur court
KUALA LUMPUR: Former army chief Tan Sri Hafizuddeain Jantan has been charged in the sessions court, here, today with four counts of money laundering involving RM2.12 million.
The 57-year-old is accused of receiving proceeds from unlawful activities totaling RM2,122,400, deposited into his bank accounts in four separate transactions of RM969,000, RM474,850, RM488,550, and RM190,000.
The alleged offences occurred between Feb 2, 2024 and Nov 7, 2025, at two banks in Kuala Lumpur.
Hafizuddeain faces charges framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to five times the value of the proceeds, or RM5 million, whichever is higher.
Sessions judge Azura Alwi set bail at RM250,000 with two sureties for Hafizuddeain and imposed conditions requiring him to hand over his passport and make monthly visits to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters during the first week of each month.
The case will be mentioned again on March 30.
The prosecution, led by deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, had sought RM300,000 bail with monthly MACC reporting requirements.
Wan Shaharuddin argued the passport surrender was necessary given the gravity of the charges and flight risk concerns, stating the defense could not dismiss the possibility of the accused fleeing.
Defense counsel Aizul Rohan Anuar accepted the reporting conditions as reasonable measures to ensure court attendance but requested lower bail of RM100,000, calling the prosecution’s figure unreasonable.
Aizul Rohan explained his client’s financial constraints: after more than four decades of military service, the retired officer now receives RM15,000 monthly, but all his accounts have been frozen. He argued that excessive bail would punish his client unfairly, particularly since bail would also be needed for the accused’s wife.
The lawyer requested the MACC reporting requirement be reduced to every two months, reminding the court of the presumption of innocence and highlighting his client’s prior peacekeeping service in Bosnia.
Wan Shaharuddin acknowledged the lengthy military career but defended the bail amount as appropriate, clarifying that sureties—not the accused—would pay the bail. He noted the accused’s third wife would face separate charges at the Sessions Court, with bail likewise provided by guarantors rather than the accused himself.
The prosecution team included deputy public prosecutors Mahadi Abdul Jumaat, Farah Yasmin Salleh, Natrah Fareha, Muhammad Asraf Mohamed Tahir and Maziah Mohaide, while lawyer Muhammad Kausar Mohd Khairi assisted the defense.
